Voters in the western Japanese city of Osaka have voted to reject a plan to reorganize the city into four special wards similar to those in Tokyo. This means the current system will remain in place.

What's known as the "Osaka metropolis plan" called for abolishing the ordinance-designated city and creating four special wards, effective January 1, 2025.

NHK projects that residents of the western Japanese city of Osaka have voted to maintain the city's current structure.

They voted down a plan to transfer some major functions to the prefecture and consolidation of the bureaucracy into a structure similar to Tokyo's.

People in Tokyo will head to the polls on Sunday to decide who should govern the Japanese capital for the next four years.

The election comes as the city's 14 million residents are resuming social and business activities after making major lifestyle changes to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic.